Honda to Build Advanced Engine Plant in Japan, Promises Lower Emissions

Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 19, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced plans to build a new engine plant in Ogawa, Saitama prefecture, Japan in order to accelerate establishment of production systems and capabilities for advanced engines to enable Honda to meet increasing global demand for fuel efficient vehicles. Honda plans to begin operation of this new engine plant in summer 2009, with an annual production capacity of approximately 200,000 units. Advanced engines produced at this plant will be supplied to Honda auto plants inside and outside Japan. Honda will invest approximately 25 billion yen in the new plant, with employment of approximately 500 associates.

Due to a number of factors including the high price of crude oil and increasing public concern about environmental issues, demand for fuel efficient automobiles is expected to grow rapidly in the future. As for the engine production, prior to the 2010 start-up of the new auto plant to be built in Yorii, Saitama, Honda decided to build a new engine plant in Ogawa, Saitama, near Yorii, in order to establish production systems and capabilities which can meet flexibly increases in demand, to enable Honda to offer advanced engines to customers as quickly as possible.

In the mean time, Honda has disclosed the concept for the new Yorii plant, which will become operational in 2010. Honda will build the Yorii plant with the concept of "a people-friendly and resource/energy-recycling Green Factory which will employ high quality and highly efficient production and logistics systems", and it will be a state-of-the-art automobile plant along with new engine plant.

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               Automobile Plant         Engine Plant
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Location       Yorii-machi, Osato-gun   Ogawa-machi, Hiki-gun
               Saitama                  Saitama
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Size           800,000 m2               195,000 m2 
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Production     Approximately            Approximately
    Capacity   200,000 units/yr         200,000 units/yr
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Start of
    Operation  2010 (plan)              Summer, 2009 (plan)
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Investment     Approx. 70 billion yen 
               (inclusive 25 billion yen for new engine plant)
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Employment     Approx. 2,200 associates 
               (inclusive 500 associates for new engine plant)
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